Abstract
Increasing population in cities combined with efforts to obtain more sustainable living spaces will require a smarter Solid Waste Management System (SWMS). A critical step in SWMS is the collection of wastes, generally associated with expensive costs faced by companies or municipalities in this sector. Some studies are being developed for the optimization of waste collection routes, but few consider inland cities as model regions. Here, the model region considered for the route optimization using Guided Local Search (GLS) algorithm was Bragança, a city in the northeast region of Portugal. The algorithm used in this work is available in open-source Google OR-tools. Results show that waste collection efficiency is affected by the upper limit of waste in dumpsters. Additionally, it is demonstrated the importance of dynamic selection of dumpsters. For instance, efficiency decreased 10.67% for the best upper limit compared to the traditional collection in the regular selection of dumpsters (levels only). However, an improvement of 50.45% compared to traditional collection was observed using dynamic selection of dumpsters to be collected. In other words, collection cannot be improved only by letting dumpsters reach 90% of waste level. In fact, strategies such as the dynamic selection here presented, can play an important role to save resources in a SWMS.

Abstract
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are being deployed in different applications due to their reduced time execution to perform tasks, more extensive coverage area, and more risk minimization to humans. In the Oil & Gas industry, its use for inspection activities is even more attractive due to the large structures in these facilities. Therefore, this research proposes deploying an autonomous UAV system to inspect unburied pipelines of onshore O&G facilities. The proposed UAV guiding system is based on image processing techniques Canny edge detection and Hough Transform to detect the line and on a path follower algorithm to generate the trajectory. The proposed strategy was developed in Robot Operating System (ROS) and tested in a simulated environment considering the practical oper-ational. The same controller was tested on a physical UAV to validate the results obtained in previous simulations. The results demonstrated the effectiveness and feasibility of deploying the proposed strategy for this specific task and the cost reduction potential for real-life operations, as well as reduced potential risks to the physical integrity of the workers.

Abstract
Monitoring and controlling the energy consumption of electrical appliances brings significant benefits to both consumers and the energy utility. This work presents a system for monitoring and controlling energy consumption by residence loads connected to smart plugs. The user will have a tool to view consumption information and remotely turn loads on and off, as well as control the power level at which certain appliances will operate. In addition, it is intended to give the system the ability to make decisions regarding the operation of electrical devices based on the electrical energy available. This decision-making can occur either through priorities established by the user or, possibly, through Machine Learning applied to the system, based on the consumption pattern. Solutions like these can even be applied in situations where the user produces his own energy and would like to use the surplus produced to meet certain loads.

Abstract
The use of several distributed generators as well as the energy storage system in a local microgrid require an energy management system to maximize system efficiency, by managing generation and loads. The main purpose of this work is to find the optimal set-points of distributed generators and storage devices of a microgrid, minimizing simultaneously the energy costs and the greenhouse gas emissions. A multi-objective approach called Pareto-search Algorithm based on direct multi-search is proposed to ensure optimal management of the microgrid. According to the non-dominated resulting points, several scenarios are proposed and compared. The effectiveness of the algorithm is validated, giving a compromised choice between two criteria: energy cost and GHG emissions.

Abstract

Abstract
It is known that electrical energy consumption is higher during the day than at night.This is a challenge to balance the consumption levels because when the consumption is high at night, it does not have energy production to supply and the tariff usage is cheaper. Aspiring to avoid the users consuming too much electrical energy and work on this usage control during the night, the present work aims to develop smart plug modules that could self-manage power in residence utilizing the minimum of grid energy. In this sense, the modules may use the overproduction of energy coming from generator systems (such as photovoltaic panels), eliminating the necessity of battery usage. Sometimes, the power supply could provide different values of current, consequently, the use of this electric energy needs to adapt according to the production. Therefore, the final objective is to build an intelligent electrical management system that works on energy efficiency.